Photos: Nike Sportswear Spring/Summer 11 Collection

Nike Sportswear recently previewed their Spring/Summer 11 collection in Sydney - headlined by the V-Series+ footwear range that merges modern technology with Nike’s classic mid-80′s Vengeance, Vortex and Vector runners, and the GS Polo with its engineered flat-rib vented collar and high-breathability open-hole knit.

Preview photos from the showcase below along with further details about the collection:

Photo Credit: Jimmy McFarland

V Series Information (men’s):

In the mid-1980s the Vengeance, Vortex and Vector arrived to offer runners individual alternatives. In 2011 that doesn’t seem too revolutionary. But imagine taken the technological revolutions of the 21st century and putting them into a classic. 1980 + 2011 = The V-Series+.

 For Spring/Summer 2011 Nike Sportswear pays tribute to a collection that altered running-shoe design. The V-Series+ brings back a trio of classics in their original form and reworks them with modern craft and innovation.

Runners have different needs. NIKE recognized this from day one and designed the original V-Series collection to provide three shoes that served three unique running styles.

The result was cutting-edge innovation that provided choice for runners beyond what was possible in a solitary shoe.

The series’ first installment was the Air Vengeance, providing superior lightweight cushioning and speed. A Poly-Pag and Duramesh red and black upper, unique angled lace design and full-length Nike Air unit grabbed attention while delivering cushy performance.

The second shoe, the Air Vector (later renamed the Venue), was released in gray and black as the answer to extra stability needs. That same year, an all-rounder in the shape of the blue and gold Vortex design carried the Air Wedge application to provide stability without compromising weight, completing the V-Series trinity.

 All athletes had to do was take their pick and reap the rewards– standards were set, and each shoe was a best seller.

Over 25 years later, each silhouette remains iconic. This was the challenge to the Nike Sportswear team. How do you expand on that? How about taking the original brief and answering it with NIKE’s new weapons of choice in the battle against weight? From trail to track to street, the Lunar V-Series+ merges athletic heritage with contemporary innovation. In terms of grams, it’s a question of how low can you go?

Lunarlite foam takes over where Phylon and polyurethane broke ground. The No-Sew build on the upper re-creates those classic panels, details and silhouettes, but lightens the load. Modern meshes are significantly lighter and more breathable too, but the colors are back. Immediately recognizable details like that unique eyelet on the Vengeance or the Venue and Vortex’s reflective accents have been reinterpreted and retained.  The Lunar Vengeance+ stays true to the original quest for superior speed by utilizing a sleeker, more minimal midsole akin to that of the groundbreaking Lunar Glide.

The GS Polo Information(men’s):

- Engineered flat-rib vented collar with open-hole knit for breathability
- Supple 100% cotton pique fabric with clean finished back, neck, shoulders and seams
- Four-hole closures with perfect-fit pearl buttons are a pleasure to push through
- Cut to fit. Slim and standard-fit options, with tailoring for men or women

Talk about built-in cred: the GS Polo has been around the block and around the world.

But when it came to that little chest embroidery, it was time to have some fun. Nike’s iconic Sunburst design trademark, a sneaker and the old-school Nike Sportswear logo are all fair game.

This is a shirt that knows how to perform or how to kick back and how to look good either way